Discharge of a firearm is done at a distance from the operator along the operator's line of sight. The distance may be due to the extension of operator's arms (e.g., when the firearm is a pistol) or to the elongated nature of the firearm (e.g., when the firearm is a rifle). Accuracy in discharging the firearm requires that the distal end of the firearm be held steady for a period of time to aim and subsequently discharge the firearm. The steadiness required during the aiming and discharge of the firearm usually requires auxiliary support for sufficient stabilization.
Bipods have been attached to the firearm in an attempt to provide portable stabilization for the discharging of the firearm. Some of these prior art bipods have legs that transition between a stored state, with the legs next to the barrel of the firearm, and a deployed state, with the legs rotated away from the barrel so that the firearm can rest on a surface via the legs. These prior art bipods typically rely on externally exposed springs to deploy the legs. These external springs may present difficulties due to use of the bipod in a variety of environmental conditions. For example, an external spring may corrode due to moisture exposure or it could be trapped or bent by debris. Additionally, prior art bipods are bulky, even in the stored state, and provide a considerable increase to the overall dimensions and weight of the combined firearm/bipod.